Behavioral activation secondary to antidepressant use in an intellectually disabled woman

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The under-appreciation for and potential lack of recognition of medication-related adverse effects in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) can be a function of a variety of factors, including under-recognition of the prevalence of psychopathology in those with IDs compared to the general population, rating scales completed by the caregiver rather than the patient, low familiarity of healthcare needs by this special population, and lack of consensus criteria for diagnostic purposes. Recognition and management of unintended medicationrelated effects may represent an area for clinical interventions and quality of life improvement for practitioners, especially pharmacists working with this population. We present a case of a woman with significant intellectual impairment who became increasingly agitated, aggressive, and self-injurious following initiation of an antidepressant.